The Casco Open Space Commission hosted an open house at Crooked River Elementary School on Thursday to promote the town’s open space plan and to take suggestions from the public.

The open space plan, developed in conjunction with Casco’s 2024 comprehensive plan, is focused on preserving the natural beauty of Casco’s outdoor spaces by taking inventory of existing open spaces, identifying priority areas to protect for recreation and environmental preservation, and connecting neighborhoods to open spaces by improving Casco’s trail network.

Sam Brown, chair of the Open Space Commission, said the commission, through the support of Loon Echo Land Trust, won a grant of $50,000 to help the town develop a plan for conserving its open spaces.

“Our goal is to protect and enhance the open space by further developing our trail system,” Brown said, “and working with the Open Space and Safe Streets committees in Casco to focus on the connectivity of open spaces in our community, not just in Casco, but throughout the region.”

The commission is midway through the deliverable part of the grant. Work on the plan has been underway since August, when the commission began an analysis of Casco’s existing open spaces, including farmlands, forests and trails. A draft inventory of conserved lands, parks and open spaces includes Loon Echo-run preserves such as Hacker’s Hill and Mayberry Hill, as well as town-owned properties such as Hancock Memorial Field and Village Green.

Ahead of the open house, which Brown described as being “essentially a midterm project,” Brown welcomed all community members to discuss the plan and to give feedback about what they liked and didn’t like. The commission hopes to submit its work, refined with community feedback, to the Select Board early next year. Once the plan has approval from the board, the commission will present it to the town as a warrant article for the June town meeting.

The open house itself consisted of five “stations,” where visitors could place stickers and sticky notes to express why open space was important to them and what they wanted to see in Casco. Visitors were also encouraged to write down potential new trails, sidewalks and wildlife corridors.

At one of the stations, visitors indicated they thought the plan should prioritize conservation, wildlife habitat and the development and maintenance of accessible trails. One resident left a note encouraging greater accessibility at boat ramps for disabled people, while another encouraged the commission to prioritize protection from runoff to prevent the growth of invasive plants.

Town Manager Anthony Ward told Lakes Region Now that, while he had personally played a minor role in the development of the plan, he thought the commission’s work was going “fantastic.”

Eric Dibner, a member of both the Open Space Commission and the board of Loon Echo Land Trust, said it was great that the town was finally identifying where the activities are and incorporating them into the comprehensive plan.

A survey is available on the town website, cascomaine.org, for residents to give feedback on the open space plan. Responses will be accepted until Dec. 6.